"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!" Jade says to her class after the first bell rings on Monday morning "Happy Monday!"
"Something is up with you..." One of the boys in the second row remarks "You're happier than normal."
"Hello to you too, Curt." Jade laughs, causing the rest of the class to laugh as well "I see you woke up on the wrong side of the bed."
"Whatever..."
"He's right though, there is something different about me." Jade informs her students "And if anyone can figure it out before the end of the class period, I'll give all of my classes no homework tonight. No pressure."
Any students who hadn't been paying attention before are certainly paying attention now. Murmurs fill through the classroom; students are either sharing their excitement at the possibility of not having homework or discussing what could possibly be different about Miss West.
"Did you cut your hair?" One of the boys calls out
"No." Jade shakes her head "Everyone take out their discussion questions for chapter five. I hope you're all caught up on your reading."
"New boots?"
"No..." Jade looks down at the brown riding boots she's wearing "I've had these for a while. Since I worked in California, actually. Now if you'll take a look up here at the board..."
She uses her left hand to gesture to the questions she had written on the whiteboard, then pauses...hoping that at least one of her students will notice the hint that she's trying to drop. She waits for a few seconds, and right as she's about to move on, there's commotion.
"WAIT!" A girl in the back of the room gasps as she stands up "She has a ring on that finger!"
"Did you get engaged?" Another girl asks
"I did..." Jade laughs, holding up her left hand again and wiggling her fingers for them all to see "No homework for you."
The class erupts into cheers. Jade is easily one of the most beloved teachers among all of those in the English department, so of course all of her students are happy for their favorite teacher...and happy not to have any homework. They, more so the girls than the boys, start firing a million questions at her.
How'd he do it?
Was it romantic?
When are you getting married?
Can I come?
Jade can't help but laugh. The reactions of her students are similar to those of Aspen and Chelsea when they shared the news with them as well. Chelsea had been bouncing off of the walls with excitement, and Aspen hadn't understood entirely but was just happy because everyone else was. Both girls had hugged Jade tightly, saying they couldn't wait for her to marry their dad.
"It gets crazier." Jade tells her students "Quiet down and I'll tell you..."
"Yo, shut up!" One of the boys yells, causing the class to fall silent
"Thank you, Alex..." Jade sighs "Although there could have been a more polite way to do that."
She and Beck had stayed up much later than they should have the night before, soaking in their engagement bliss and talking about what they both wanted for their wedding. Both of them agreed that much like Aspen and Chelsea had voiced, they couldn't wait for the wedding either. Jade had never been one to be super frivolous, and Beck was now entering marriage for a second time. They made a decision together that they were sure was going to shock some, but sounded absolutely perfect to them.
"My fiancé...I love saying that sorry, and I aren't very extravagant people. We like to keep things simple. So...you're going to have a sub for me on Friday..." Jade tells her students "Because we're going back to New York to elope this weekend."
The class erupts into cheers again, both out of happiness for Jade and the knowledge that Friday is basically going to be a blowoff day. Jade can't help but laugh. Obviously she's excited too but she can't get away with yelling and screaming the way that her students can.
"Alright, alright!" She yells over the noise "Quiet down! You're going to get me in trouble!"
"Congrats, Miss West!"
"Yeah, congratulations!"
"Thank you." Jade smiles "Now, we do have some learning that we have to do today. So if you could all get your chapter five discussion questions out, we'll get started."
On Friday morning, Beck and Jade pack Aspen and Chelsea up in Jade's car, along with everything the four of them will need for the weekend. The fact that she gets to skip school that day only adds to Chelsea's excitement and even though she doesn't completely understand what's happening, her sister's excitement excites Aspen too. Thankfully there's plenty planned to wear them out that evening so that they're actually able to fall asleep. The Yankees happen to be playing a home game that evening, and the family of four attends together. It's Aspen's first professional baseball game and the first that Chelsea can remember, Beck had taken her to one when she was much younger. Beck enjoys getting to share one of his favorite sports with his three favorite girls, and Jade enjoys watching Beck and the girls get so excited over almost every aspect of the game.
Beck's parents are drive down to the city Friday evening after they both get done with work, and Tori and Andre do the same. Chris and Tyler to fly in Friday night as well, and of course Cat and Robbie are already in New York. Although Beck and Jade are technically 'eloping', they still want those most important to be there with them on arguably the most important day of their lives...and thankfully they were able to work it out so everyone can be.
"Can I just say..." Chris fights back tears as Cat helps Jade adjust her hair "That your mother would be so happy if she were here."
"She's here." Jade nods "I can feel her. She's watching over us."
"She's very proud of the woman you've become." Chris tells her "I know she is."
"Thanks, Chris."
Jade's dress is a white maxi sundress left over from summer clearance that Cat had made a few adjustments to. The sleeveless, floor-length dress now also has a burgundy ribbon around the middle to match the burgundy dresses Jade had found for Aspen and Chelsea to wear. Beck wears a white dress shirt and black dress pants with a burgundy tie. Although the wedding isn't anything super over the top or fancy, the family still coordinates with one another...a symbol of the commitment Beck and Jade are about to make with each other.
"Wu wook pwretty, Mama." Aspen smiles up at Jade as she stands beside her
"Thank you, baby girl..." Jade tells her, kneeling down so she can fix the toddler's lopsided bow "You look very pretty too."
"Tank wu."
"She'll actually be your mom now, Pen." Chelsea says to her sister "R..right?"
"Step-mom, technically..." Jade nods as she stands up again "But I'm comfortable with however you want to phrase it."
"I'm not sure yet." Chelsea admits
"And that's okay." Jade assures her "We have a whole lifetime together to figure it out."
The thought makes Chelsea smile. Although her biological mother had left her over two years ago, and she's still trying to sort out how she feels about that, it's comforting to know that Jade doesn't show any intentions of ever leaving her in the same way. From what she can remember, her mother had never been as involved in her life for the six that she was in it as Jade has in the past one. Maybe it's for the best that her younger sister doesn't remember anything about their mother, and never really knew her to begin with. Jade seems like the much better option.
"Are you ready, girlies?" Cat asks, extending a hand to both Aspen and Chelsea "We need to get this show on the road!"
"Ready!" Aspen giggles, taking Cat's hand as Chelsea does the same
"See you in there." Cat winks at Jade, opening the door to the courtroom and ushering the two girls inside
"Are you ready?" Chris asks, turning to Jade
"I think so, yeah." Jade nods with a smile "It uh, it means a lot to me that you flew out here on such short notice. I want you to know that it's been my plan for you to walk me down the aisle since I was...like, a teenager. I know I didn't get to spend as much time with you as either one of us would have liked but...you've always felt like more of a dad to me than my birth father ever did."
"And you've felt like a daughter to me from the moment I met you." Chris tells her, tears in his eyes "I think now you can sort of relate to that feeling."
"Yeah..." Jade nods, trying not to cry herself "Yeah, I can."
"I love you, kiddo."
"I love you too."
"Let's get you married."
Chris pushes open the door to the courtroom and leads Jade inside, her arm wrapped around his own. There's only ten people in the room, but all of them are looking at Jade...Beck included.
He can't believe how lucky he is. That he found someone who loves him and his daughters so unconditionally and who fits into their lives so perfectly. Never in a million years did he think he would be able to find a love like this one...but then Jade came along. He'll spend the rest of his life protecting their love and keeping it safe from anything life might throw at them.
"Hey..." She smiles at him as she arrives in front of him
"Hey." He grins "Wanna get married?"
"I'd love to."
"We have come together to witness the marriage of Beckett Oliver and Jade West." The judge begins "Much wisdom concerning the joining of two people has come our way through all paths of belief, and from many each union, more knowledge is gained and more wisdom gathered. Though we are unable to give all this knowledge to these two, who stand before us, we can hope to leave with them the knowledge of love and its strengths and the anticipation of the wisdom that comes with time..."
The rest of the ceremony feels like a blur; Beck and Jade keep their eyes trained on each other like no one else in the world exists. Before they know it, they're exchanging rings, saying 'I do' and sharing their first kiss as husband and wife.
"I'm so glad we did it this way." Jade admits as they break away "You're my husband!"
"I know, and you're my wife!" Beck grins "I love you."
"I love you too."
"Do you have the same last name as us now?" Chelsea asks as they drive home the following day
She and Aspen had spent the night in Beck's parent's hotel room so that the newlyweds could have their alone time, but now everyone is headed back to their own homes. As much as Beck and Jade wish they could have taken more time to indulge in their wedding bliss, there was still work and school to be concerned with. They decide they'll have some kind of reception around the holidays, when everyone has time off, and take their honeymoon over Jade's spring break.
"Not yet." Jade smiles at her in the rearview mirror "I have to fill out a lot of paperwork now and wait for it to get filed, but maybe by Christmas."
"Do you need help with the paperwork?"
"No, I think I'll be able to manage." Jade chuckles
They drive on for about fifteen minutes longer, then Beck takes the exit off of the highway that will lead them home. They technically live in West Hartford, a suburb only minutes outside of the larger city, so their journey home will only take them about five minutes longer.
"Can you carry Aspen in when we get back?" Beck asks his new wife as he looks at the sleeping toddler in the backseat "I'll grab the bags?"
"I'd be more than happy to, husband."
"Thank you, wife."
"Alright, we get it." Chelsea rolls her eyes "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that you're married and everything...but how much longer are you going to do that?"
"Forever." Beck says confidently
"No seriously."
"We are being serious." Jade laughs as Beck pulls into the driveway
He shuts off the ignition and everyone climbs out, Jade going to the backseat immediately to remove Aspen from her carseat. She has every intention of keeping the little girl asleep as she carries her inside, knowing that the excitement of the weekend has seriously disrupted her sleep schedule and left her exhausted.
"Uh..." Jade hears Chelsea say
"What's up?" Jade asks as she bumps the door closed with her hip "Oh, uh...Beck?"
There's a woman sitting on their front porch. She looks to be about the same age as Beck and Jade, with auburn hair and a sweatshirt from the high school that Beck mentioned he had attended. At first glance, Jade thinks she looks a bit like Chelsea...and she starts to put the pieces together just as Beck notices the woman as well.
"Shit..." He mutters
"Beck?" She turns to face him "Do you know her?"
Beck doesn't need to say anything, because the next word out of Chelsea's mouth gives Jade all of the answers she needs.
"M...mom?"